This story was produced as part of the Springboard Project.

Whenever Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry reviews legislation, weighs policy ideas, or meets with companies considering moves to the state, a team supports those efforts. Chiefs of staff guide information flow. Press secretaries shape public messages. Lawyers handle legal matters. Regional directors carry out policies statewide. Interns and temporary workers assist with various tasks.

In a shift from the prior administration, at least 121 Landry employees ranging from top advisers to junior temps have signed strict confidentiality pacts with the governor's office. These agreements require silence on job-related matters, according to records reviewed by the Gulf States Newsroom and Type Investigations.

Senior figures including former Chief of Staff Kyle Ruckert, Executive Counsel Angelique Freel, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications Kate Kelly signed the documents. Agency heads, regional directors, press secretaries, and members of the first lady's team also participated. Even the deputy executive counsel handling public records requests signed one.

Former officials who have since departed, such as policy director Millard Mule who left in January 2026 to launch a consulting firm, also signed. One of Mule's clients is Meta, which is developing a large data center project in Richland Parish. Landry himself signed a confidentiality agreement with the company's data center subsidiary in April 2024.

Violations can lead to termination or lawsuits, even post-employment. The broad terms could restrict discussions with colleagues, responses to reporters, or answers to lawmakers without explicit approval.

Legal experts and former aides caution that these pacts may foster intimidation and limit protected speech. Eric Holl, an adviser to former Gov. John Bel Edwards, described the documents as a gag order after review. He viewed them primarily as tools for control rather than protection.

The practice fits a broader pattern of reduced transparency under Landry since January 2024. He approved a law shielding officials from public records penalties. Aides had home addresses removed from required disclosures. NDAs became routine at Louisiana Economic Development for business recruitment talks.

Landry's office declined direct questions but issued a statement through Freel. She framed the agreements as safeguards against sharing sensitive details with lobbyists or others outside ethics rules. The pacts aim to preserve decision-making integrity and public confidence while ensuring only authorized releases occur under records law.

A Culture of Fear

The uniform agreements label nearly any work-acquired information as confidential. This covers deliberative processes, legislative and attorney privileges, plus legal, security, financial, and personnel issues. Signers cannot disclose details without written consent and must accept future pacts on request. Restrictions continue indefinitely after leaving government.

Bruce Hamilton of Tulane Law School's First Amendment Clinic called the scope overly broad and likely to chill speech. He flagged punitive elements like indirect disclosure bans and lifetime limits as potentially unenforceable and unconstitutional.

Former Edwards administration officials reported no similar requirements during that period. Mark Cooper, who served as chief of staff, and Matthew Block, former executive counsel, confirmed they neither signed nor knew of such pacts. Holl attributed the difference to a trust-based environment where staff handled sensitive topics without formal contracts.

The Governor's Directive

The governor's office joins Louisiana Economic Development as a second agency routinely using NDAs under Landry. At least 54 elected officials have signed with the economic agency, including legislative leaders and many senators. Some agreements are project-specific while others span entire terms.

Press Secretary Elizabeth Crochet signed both a governor's office NDA and one with Meta. The company pact restricts comments on any Meta information without prior approval. Company representatives described such agreements as standard for site selection to avoid premature speculation, though they allow later discussions on locations and impacts once projects progress.

Landry personally entered a mutual NDA in April 2024 with an entity tied to the Meta project. The expanding use of these agreements has drawn scrutiny over potential limits on open government.